Federal Grant Spending and Agency Approval

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Abstract

Federal agencies are responsible for allocating millions of federal grant dollars each year. A large body of works demonstrates that federal grant spending can boost a politician’s electoral prospects. Considerably less research has been devoted to how expenditures can impact federal agencies’ support with the public. We theorize that federal agencies that award more federal awards will be associated with an increase in the agency’s approval. Using a survey experiment involving the Department of Defense and Department of Labor, we find evidence to support our theoretical expectation. This paper contributes to our understanding of the ways federal grants can influence public opinion towards agencies, which is vital since public support is a significant predictor for an agency’s longevity.

Authors

• Laine Shay, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

• Jason S. Byers, Davidson College